Highlighting the Hathras gang rape case, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of enabling impunity for the accused while the victim’s family lives in fear. Linking his critique to the BJP’s ideological leanings, Gandhi called for justice and reaffirmed the INDIA bloc’s commitment to upholding constitutional values.
By PC Bureau
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the BJP during a debate in the Lok Sabha on Saturday, citing Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s controversial remarks about the Indian Constitution. Gandhi highlighted that Savarkar had expressed in his writings that “there is nothing Indian about our Constitution” and had advocated for the Manusmriti to supersede it.
“VD Savarkar clearly stated in his writings that there is nothing Indian about our Constitution,” Gandhi said amid loud protests from BJP members. “When you [BJP] speak of protecting the Constitution, you are ridiculing Savarkar, abusing Savarkar, and defaming him,” he added.
@I want to start my speech by quoting what the Supreme Leader, not of the BJP but of the modern interpretation of the ideas of the RSS has to say about the Constitution of India and about how he thinks India should be run – “The worst thing about the Constitution of India is that there is nothing Indian about it. Manusmriti is that scripture which is most worshippable after Vedas for our Hindu nation and from which our ancient times have become the basis for our culture, customs, thought and practice. This book, for centuries, has codified the spiritual and divine march of our nation. Today, Manusmiriti is law.” These are the words of Savarkar…Savarkar has clearly stated in his writings that there is nothing Indian about our Constitution. He has clearly stated that the book India is run by should be superseded by this book. This is what the fight is about,” he added.
Mentioning his visit to Hathras on December 12 and meeting the family of the 2020 Hathras crime victim, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the whole family still lives in fear.
“Four years back one girl was gang raped. Three days back I went there and met the family but the person who gang-raped the girl was roaming all around freely and the family of victim could not move freely. It is written in Manusmriti but it is not written in Constitution. INDIA bloc people will do the relocation of that family if you (BJP) will not do that,” he said.
Drawing a parallel between the BJP and Mahabharata’s Dronacharya, Gandhi accused the ruling party of stifling the aspirations of the youth, particularly those from marginalized sections. “By introducing lateral entry into government jobs, you are effectively cutting off the thumb of today’s youth, backward classes, and the poor,” he said, referencing the Centre’s earlier controversial advertisement seeking lateral entrants for top government positions. The government later withdrew the ad following widespread backlash.
Gandhi also raised the issue of alleged favoritism towards industrialist Gautam Adani, accusing the government of granting him undue advantages at the expense of small businesses.
Referring to the Constitution as the “document of modern India,” Gandhi underscored its deep connection to ancient Indian philosophy and traditions. He noted, “The Constitution contains a set of ideas rooted in our nation’s profound traditions. It reflects voices and ideas from figures like Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Shiva, Guru Nanak, Buddha, Kabir, and Mahavir. It is modern, but it could never have been written without the foundation of ancient India.”
“In my last few speeches, I spoke about the concept of Abay Mudra. The concept of fearlessness, truth and nonviolence and I showed the House images of different religions displaying the Abay Mudra. People call it the longest written Constitution in the world but the Constitution contains a set of ideas from one philosophy of our nation. When we look at the Constitution and we open the Constitution we hear the voices and ideas of Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru. But where do these ideas come from? These ideas came from old profound, traditions in this country. Those ideas came from Shiva, Guru Nanak, Buddha, Kabir, and Mahaavir. When we speak of the Constitution and we show the Constitution of course it is the document of modern India. but it could never have been written without ancient India, and its ideas,” Rahul Gandhi said in the Lok Sabha.
Gandhi’s speech also targeted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), asserting that their ideological interpretation seeks to replace the Constitution with Manusmriti. He quoted Savarkar’s writings: “The worst thing about the Constitution of India is that there is nothing Indian about it. Manusmriti, which codifies the spiritual and divine march of our nation, should guide India.”
“This is what the fight is about,” Gandhi said. “Do you [BJP] stand by these words? When you defend the Constitution, you defame Savarkar. Do you support him or the Constitution?”
The Lok Sabha debate on the Constitution was initiated to commemorate 75 years since its adoption. The session also marked the commencement of the winter session of Parliament, which began on November 25 and is scheduled to continue until December 20.
